Ingredients
Cane
- 4to 5 thick sugarcane stalks, fresh and green
Optional
- 1lime
- a small piece of ginger
- a pinch of salt
- mint leaves
Also
- plenty of ice
Equipment
- a sugarcane press, or a heavy juicer
- a sharp heavy knife
To serve
- immediately, in a tall glass
Directions
- Wash the rollers and any equipment thoroughly before and after use if you are making it yourself.
- Pick stalks that are firm, heavy and green rather than dry, cracked or greying at the cut ends. Fresh cane is heavy for its size and the cut end should look moist.
- Wash the stalks thoroughly, scrubbing the outside. Now cut the stalks into lengths that will fit the press, about 30 cm.
- Cut on a stable board and keep your other hand well clear. Peel the hard outer skin off with the knife if your press requires it, though most commercial presses take it whole.
- Add a piece of lime, skin and all, to the rollers with the last passes.
- Strain it to catch fibre and grit, which there will be. Do not add sugar, which would be absurd, and do not dilute it.
- Pour it straight over ice into a tall glass. It should be pale greenish-grey with a thick foam on top. Serve it immediately, and drink it within a few minutes.
Technique
- Sugarcane juice cannot be kept and is always pressed to order.
- Similar shops exist across South Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
- Egypt’s cane is grown mainly in Upper Egypt along the Nile.
Substitutions
- A commercial sugarcane press, which is what shops use.
- There is no substitute; bottled versions are a different product.
Variations
- With lime, which is the Egyptian standard.
- With ginger, which is common in South Asia.
- With mint.
History
Egypt is a major sugarcane grower in the Nile valley and Upper Egypt; asab shops press stalks through steel rollers and serve the juice at once.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sugarcane juice?
Sugarcane juice is a drink from Egypt: fresh-pressed asab, frothy and sweet, from juice shops everywhere. Egypt is a major sugarcane grower in the Nile valley and Upper Egypt; asab shops press stalks through steel rollers and serve the juice at once.
How long does Sugarcane juice take to make?
Sugarcane juice takes 20 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 4 glasses. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Sugarcane juice?
Yes, within limits. A commercial sugarcane press, which is what shops use. There is no substitute; bottled versions are a different product.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sugarcane juice?
Pick stalks that are firm, heavy and green rather than dry, cracked or greying at the cut ends. Fresh cane is heavy for its size and the cut end should look moist.
